


Vacation

by pickyourselfupfred



Series: Astaire family dancers! [3]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 02:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3711451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickyourselfupfred/pseuds/pickyourselfupfred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The third part of the AU series of Fred and Ginger's lives. We love this couple so everything that happens is good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vacation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Samantha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samantha/gifts), [OldMoviesAreIt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldMoviesAreIt/gifts).



George Ethan Astaire was brought into the world a few months later, very much as he was to live his life. He was right on time, relatively quiet (he gave only a little cry at birth) and with a smile on his face. George was for his godfather George Gershwin and Ethan because Ginger had read Ethan Frome during the last month of her pregnancy and liked the name. And, as she said to Fred, ‘If you throw in my birth name McGrath then he is our little G.E.M.

The twins were ecstatic, Freddie because he had a brother who would play baseball with him, Rose because she wanted to mother him.

As with the twins they’d put time aside to spend with the newborn and had decided to take an ocean voyage to visit Aunt Delly in Ireland and show off the newest member of the family. It would be the first plane and boat ride for the older children and their excitement with a week to go knew no bounds. They started at breakfast with questions about what they would see and do, had a brief hiatus during the day when other things occupied them, but when Fred and Ginger came to put them to bed and read their story there were whys, whens and hows to answer. Fred chuckled to himself over their enthusiasm; they were both just like their mother, bubbly, optimistic and finding happiness in all things. And, of course, they were the traits that made him love her so.

They travelled by plane to New York with Nanny Nina and baby George making up the party. Freddie sat by his father asking why the plane didn’t fall out of the sky and how big were then engines. Fred, who didn’t have a clue about such things managed to convince the pilot to let his son go up front to have his questions answered. Rose, snuggled by her mom and baby brother, daydreamed about angels sitting in the clouds. On the approach to New York City Fred pointed out the Statue of Liberty and other sights, relieved to be on familiar ground.

They had a couple of days in the city before their ocean voyage so next morning, whilst George stayed with his nanny, Ginger and Fred took the twins to explore some of the places they haunted in their own days there. So in just a few hours the children had seen the Empire State building, Liberty’s statue, a show at Radio City and a row on the lake in Central Park. Fred told them how he and their mom had loved the park and took many a walk there. Ginger raised her eyebrow as he spoke. They’d done a lot of serious kissing here as well. They were pleased to show off the city to their first borns as it only held happy memories for them and were delighted when Freddie solemnly announced that the day had been the best day of his life.

That evening, having tucked up the children for the night Fred took Ginger out to dinner at their favorite restaurant Sardi’s. As usual they had a private table and, seated side by side, they indulged themselves in being in one of the places they had fallen more and more in love with one another. He couldn't resist giving her lots of kisses. She glowed with love for him and he hoped, no, he knew, she could see how much he adored her.

They detoured through Central Park on their way back to the hotel. Their visit with the kids earlier that day had rekindled reminiscences of good times. They walked hand in hand; lost in their own bubble of happiness, till, as they came to ‘their tree’, Fred gave her the kiss she longed for. Deep and intense, it set the seal on their love and, in its own way, renewed the promises they had made on their wedding day.

They looked in briefly on the twins when they returned, knowing George was safely sleeping in Nina’s room. Fred locked the door of their bedroom in the suite. Tonight would be just for them and their love making that evening was very special for both of them. And when, afterwards, Ginger snuggled against his chest he stroked her hair and said quietly but with great emotion, ‘What have I done to deserve you baby. The best wife, the best mother and you’ve given me three wonderful children. Oh Gin, I love you so. Never leave me’.  
She could only reply in kind, ‘And you’re the only man for me. We’ll get old together and have grandchildren and I never, ever would think of leaving you’.

Next day, before sailing, the whole family walked in the park, Fred proudly pushing George’s pram, Ginger’s arm laced through his own.  
‘I used to imagine this Fred, back when we first met’.  
‘Me too baby, maybe with a few more kids though’. He grinned at her. ‘Sort of a baseball team’.  
‘If you’ll take over childbirth duties you can have your wish’.  
She leaned against him and he gave her arm an affectionate squeeze. They had talked about at least one more child but not just yet.

They boarded the ship later that day. Fred had booked the largest suite with adjoining cabins for the twins and George and his nanny. As Ginger stood in the doorway marvelling at the space he simply had to say, ‘When I saw how much luggage you’d packed I knew we’d have to have a big room’. She giggled and thumped him.

Life on board ship suited them very well as it was the perfect way to relax with the family. The twins roamed the ship after breakfast each morning playing deck quoits or shuffleboard with their parents, then, after lunch, went to the games room with Nina to play scat or do jigsaws whilst Fred and Ginger had time with their baby. She was still breast feeding George when he wasn’t having formula and her husband loved to sit and watch the two of them, baby quietly suckling while Ginger held him gently. It was a time for loving bonding for the three of them and seemed to Fred that it was a piece of heaven on earth just to be there. After early supper for the older ones when they could regale their parents with the activities of the day, Fred and Ginger strolled the decks, played cards or listened to the dance band. Afterwards they retired to their suite for a private dinner, company was great but time together was precious. And, being so relaxed and happy they both couldn’t wait for bedtime when they could express their love in acts of intimacy they truly enjoyed.

On their last night on board they let the twins stay up late and go to the small theatre on the ship. Although the children had no idea why they were there, Fred and Ginger had a surprise for them. The ship’s captain had prevailed on them to give some exhibition dances on the last evening. This was normally something they’d never have done but as Ginger said to him the children probably would never see their parents perform on the stage as they were committed to movies now. What to dance to was the initial problem but it turned out to be an easy choice. Their choices were obvious to them. Firstly ‘Night and Day’, a lovely duet which had happy memories for them from their first starring movie together. Their second routine would be ‘The Piccolino’ .fun and light hearted and the third choice was no contest, ‘Smoke gets in your Eyes’ their most romantic dance to date and very dear to both of them. The twins were seated in the front row and when mom and dad slipped away they were curious but not that worried. However when their parents appeared on stage they were completely delighted. They watched in raptures, clapping wildly and fit to burst with pride in their mom and dad. The audience was equally rapt and the joy of the performance was apparent to all those lucky enough to be there. They were a little overwhelmed by their reception, it had been a few years since they’d performed for an audience and hearing the applause moved them both. The hugs and kisses from the kids were a great source of delight too and when Rose said, ‘Mommy I’d love to dance like you’, her parents grinned with pleasure.

The vacation was a great success and seeing Aunt Delly again huge fun as she had dug out pictures of Fred as a little boy, particularly one of him dressed in girl’s clothes for one of their acts. He managed to look quite shamefaced whilst the twins hooted with delight. The children played out nearly all day on her estate, Ginger rode daily and Fred had plenty of chats with Delly’s horse racing buddies. George did what most babies of four months do, gurgled, slept and put up with all the cuddles he could get. 

All too soon their time in Ireland was over and they returned to Los Angeles refreshed and relaxed. There were a lot of new things ahead for them, school beckoned for the twins, a new movie for Ginger and Fred and for baby a time to grow and find out about the world. On their first night home they lay cuddled together just chatting happily about their life.  
‘It’s been a great year Gin, what with George and all’,  
‘ We’ve been blessed, if I hadn’t met you I don’t know what I’d have done with my life’.  
‘And I’ve had the time of my life with you baby’.  
‘Just think Fred, we’ve only had a few years and we’re going to be together for years and years’.  
‘Years and years, how wonderful’.  
They hugged; they kissed and then sealed their love in the best possible way.


End file.
